1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer design and assembly, and more particularly to computers comprising integral flat-panel displays. Even more particularly, the invention relates to computers with integral, user-adjustable, flat-panel displays.
2. Description of the Background Art
A conventional personal computer includes multiple components (main computer case, keyboard, monitor, speakers, etc.). Traditionally, these components were typically separate from one another, the separate components being connected by electronic cables. For example, the main computer case could be placed under a desk, and the monitor could be placed on top of the desk. The components would then be connected together via a video cable.
As the complexity of computer systems increased, so did the number of interconnecting cables required to assemble a system. A large number of interconnecting cables can be unsightly, difficult to route, and difficult to connect properly. Further, intertangling power and data cables can adversely affect data transfer through the cables. As the complexity of computer systems increases, it is expected that these problems will also continue to increase.
For various reasons, including those mentioned above and aesthetics, there have been efforts to integrate the components of computers, and to make the computers as compact as possible. For example, systems have been developed wherein multiple computer components (e.g., motherboard, hard drives, removable media drives, speakers, etc.) have been integrated with a display component (e.g., flat panel display, cathode ray tube, etc.) to form an integrated computer system (e.g., laptop computers, desktop computers, etc.) that does not require the user to connect the components together with electronic cables. In one example of an integrated desktop computer, the computer components are mounted within the same housing that houses the display. All or most of the interconnections between the components are made by the manufacturer within the housing. This eliminates the additional cost and inconvenience of external electrical connectors and connecting cables.
While integrated computers address the problems described above, it becomes more difficult to provide a means for adjusting the position and orientation of the display. In some prior art integrated computers, the only way to adjust the display position is to raise or tilt the entire computer system. In other prior art integrated computers, the display component is moveable with respect to the computer component, but the range of movement is relatively constrained.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,569 by Minemoto et al. discloses an integrated computer system with an LCD display. The entire computer system can be tilted about a horizontal axis to accommodate viewing from different heights, but the display provides no real height adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,419 by Mitchell et al. discloses a computer that can be tilted backward or forward about a horizontal axis to adjust the viewing angle. Further, the display can be raised relative to the computer housing to provide height adjustment. The display is mounted to the housing by a pair of arms such that the display panel can be moved between lowered and raised positions. Movement of the display is guided by a cam wheel disposed in a cam track. An upper end of the cam track is narrowed, such that the display is supported in the raised position by frictional engagement of the cam wheel by the narrowed cam track. No stable support is provided in positions intermediate the raised and lowered positions. Thus, height adjustment is limited to the raised and lowered positions. Furthermore, the viewing angle changes as the height of the display changes, such that an additional tilt adjustment is required.
What is needed, therefore, is an integrated computer that provides display height adjustment over a range of positions. What is also needed is a computer that provides display tilt adjustment. What is also needed is a computer that provides display height adjustment without disturbing the tilt adjustment.